Research Scientist, RPCA
Company:
Boston College
Job Location:
Chestnut Hill, 02467
Category:
Laboratory and Research
Type:
Full-Time
Boston College Introduction
Competitive salary commensurate with
relevant experience.
The Research
Program on Children and Adversity (RPCA) at Boston College School of Social
Work focuses on observational research to understand trajectories of risk and
resilience in children facing multiple forms of adversity while also using
these research outcomes to develop and test evidence-based interventions to
promote child health, development and family functioning. The program team,
including a network of talented local collaborators, has developed and
evaluated several transdiagnostic interventions that are both feasible,
effective and able to be integrated into a range of social protection, health
and education programs in low- and middle-income countries. Using
implementation science methods, the program also tests implementation science
strategies for quality improvement and sustainment of integrated evidence-based
interventions including collaborative team approaches to improve fidelity and
quality of the interventions to support early childhood development, violence
prevention, and family strengthening so that they can be effectively and
sustainably delivered at scale in low-resource settings. The RPCA manages a
diverse global research portfolio; including several active projects, the
details for which can be found at www.bc.edu/rpca
Reporting to the Director and Principal Investigator, the
Research Scientist will oversee aspects of program implementation, research
design, data management, data analysis related to the aims of the U.S. refugee
research portfolio focused family strengthening, as well as implementation
science. The RPCA refugee program works with philanthropic and federal
partners to conduct research to inform the delivery of a mental health and
family strengthening intervention that are designed to support families during
resettlement. The Refugee Program currently has a research portfolio with
Afghan refugees and is conducting research to inform delivery specific to
Afghan youth and develop a culturally validated mental health screening tool
that can be used with resettled Afghan youth and is response to recognizing the
signs and symptoms of trauma. The RPCA partners with local resettlement agencies
and focuses on community based participatory research methods.
The
Research Scientist responsibility includes managing that the interventions
are delivered as intended (i.e., content, frequency, etc.) and that qualitative
and quantitative data across the RPCA's research studies is collected,
processed, and analyzed in accordance with the lab's best practices and that
all findings are disseminated in accordance with the study's aims and
objectives. The Research Scientist will implement quality checks to maintain
the integrity of intervention delivery and data collection and lead publications
and analyses related to the findings of the RPCA research. The Research
Scientist will cultivate and support important stakeholder relationships and
support the dissemination of research findings by working with the Program
Management teams to plan dissemination activities and share research findings
through the facilitation of presentations and events at the local, national and
international level. The Research
Scientist's scope of work is dependent on grant-funding; the Research Scientist
is responsible for ensuring that research strategies related to RPCA research
activities meet the highest scientific standards.
Duties and Responsibilities:
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (30%): Work closely with the refugee program
management team to provide implementation science expertise and quality
improvement approaches to contribute to the success of study outcomes; Support
activities related to the training and supervision of research assistants to
adhere to research integrity; Provide ongoing evaluation of research activities; Provides expertise on implementation
science to participate in project initiation activities, including the
development of proposals and responses to research funding opportunities.
DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS (40%): Provide expertise to local teams with
understanding of validity studies, community-based participatory research, and
development of a culturally validated mental health screening tool for Afghan
youth; Conduct qualitative analysis of participant interviews and monitor
reliability and validity testing; Use statistical analysis to measure validity
of the mental health screening tool that is developed; Design, develop and
execute implementation-science-informed statistical analysis leveraging
research study databases in conjunction with study staff and other
statisticians; Produce tables and figures depicting results of analyses, along
with written interpretation.
RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION (30%): Collaborate with team members to complete
dissemination deliverables to support out reach of findings to refugee service
providers. This includes participating in and developing public webinars,
producing downloadable resources, and supporting the development of community
advisory boards; Engage in high-level research and analysis, drafting reports
to sponsors and government stakeholders, and publishing on projects regarding
ongoing work related to RPCA research; Contribute to and/or serving as lead
author on manuscripts related to RPCA research studies.
This position will be based in Boston with expected travel
around New England and the U.S. as conditions allow. The Research Scientist may
work nights and weekends to meet project deliverables, as well as follow a
flexible office schedule.
The Research Scientist will work in the general office setting
in the School of Social Work. The Research Scientist is grant funded.
Requirements
Doctoral degree, preferably in Public Health, Implementation
Science, Social Work, Developmental Psychology, Mental Health, or other related
field. Minimum
of 3 years of postdoctoral experience in Global Public Health research or
related field is expected. Expert knowledge of
qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including mixed-methods
required. Expert knowledge of refugee child development research required. Proficiency
in utilizing computer applications including Microsoft Office, STATA, RedCap,
MAXQDA, and other quantitative and qualitative data analysis platforms
required. Experience conducting research in culturally diverse contexts. Experience
in community-based participatory research and qualitative methods is required.
Coursework and training in psychometrics and validity studies is required.
Previous experience working with refugee populations is preferred. Strong
record of peer-reviewed Implementation-Science focused publications beyond
thesis papers is required.
Closing Statement
Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,484 full-time undergraduates and 5,250 graduate and professional students. Ranked 35 among national universities, Boston College has 888 full-time and 1,281 FTE faculty, 2,711 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.5 billion.
Job DescriptionCompetitive salary commensurate with
relevant experience.
The Research
Program on Children and Adversity (RPCA) at Boston College School of Social
Work focuses on observational research to understand trajectories of risk and
resilience in children facing multiple forms of adversity while also using
these research outcomes to develop and test evidence-based interventions to
promote child health, development and family functioning. The program team,
including a network of talented local collaborators, has developed and
evaluated several transdiagnostic interventions that are both feasible,
effective and able to be integrated into a range of social protection, health
and education programs in low- and middle-income countries. Using
implementation science methods, the program also tests implementation science
strategies for quality improvement and sustainment of integrated evidence-based
interventions including collaborative team approaches to improve fidelity and
quality of the interventions to support early childhood development, violence
prevention, and family strengthening so that they can be effectively and
sustainably delivered at scale in low-resource settings. The RPCA manages a
diverse global research portfolio; including several active projects, the
details for which can be found at www.bc.edu/rpca
Reporting to the Director and Principal Investigator, the
Research Scientist will oversee aspects of program implementation, research
design, data management, data analysis related to the aims of the U.S. refugee
research portfolio focused family strengthening, as well as implementation
science. The RPCA refugee program works with philanthropic and federal
partners to conduct research to inform the delivery of a mental health and
family strengthening intervention that are designed to support families during
resettlement. The Refugee Program currently has a research portfolio with
Afghan refugees and is conducting research to inform delivery specific to
Afghan youth and develop a culturally validated mental health screening tool
that can be used with resettled Afghan youth and is response to recognizing the
signs and symptoms of trauma. The RPCA partners with local resettlement agencies
and focuses on community based participatory research methods.
The
Research Scientist responsibility includes managing that the interventions
are delivered as intended (i.e., content, frequency, etc.) and that qualitative
and quantitative data across the RPCA's research studies is collected,
processed, and analyzed in accordance with the lab's best practices and that
all findings are disseminated in accordance with the study's aims and
objectives. The Research Scientist will implement quality checks to maintain
the integrity of intervention delivery and data collection and lead publications
and analyses related to the findings of the RPCA research. The Research
Scientist will cultivate and support important stakeholder relationships and
support the dissemination of research findings by working with the Program
Management teams to plan dissemination activities and share research findings
through the facilitation of presentations and events at the local, national and
international level. The Research
Scientist's scope of work is dependent on grant-funding; the Research Scientist
is responsible for ensuring that research strategies related to RPCA research
activities meet the highest scientific standards.
Duties and Responsibilities:
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (30%): Work closely with the refugee program
management team to provide implementation science expertise and quality
improvement approaches to contribute to the success of study outcomes; Support
activities related to the training and supervision of research assistants to
adhere to research integrity; Provide ongoing evaluation of research activities; Provides expertise on implementation
science to participate in project initiation activities, including the
development of proposals and responses to research funding opportunities.
DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS (40%): Provide expertise to local teams with
understanding of validity studies, community-based participatory research, and
development of a culturally validated mental health screening tool for Afghan
youth; Conduct qualitative analysis of participant interviews and monitor
reliability and validity testing; Use statistical analysis to measure validity
of the mental health screening tool that is developed; Design, develop and
execute implementation-science-informed statistical analysis leveraging
research study databases in conjunction with study staff and other
statisticians; Produce tables and figures depicting results of analyses, along
with written interpretation.
RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATION (30%): Collaborate with team members to complete
dissemination deliverables to support out reach of findings to refugee service
providers. This includes participating in and developing public webinars,
producing downloadable resources, and supporting the development of community
advisory boards; Engage in high-level research and analysis, drafting reports
to sponsors and government stakeholders, and publishing on projects regarding
ongoing work related to RPCA research; Contribute to and/or serving as lead
author on manuscripts related to RPCA research studies.
This position will be based in Boston with expected travel
around New England and the U.S. as conditions allow. The Research Scientist may
work nights and weekends to meet project deliverables, as well as follow a
flexible office schedule.
The Research Scientist will work in the general office setting
in the School of Social Work. The Research Scientist is grant funded.
Requirements
Doctoral degree, preferably in Public Health, Implementation
Science, Social Work, Developmental Psychology, Mental Health, or other related
field. Minimum
of 3 years of postdoctoral experience in Global Public Health research or
related field is expected. Expert knowledge of
qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including mixed-methods
required. Expert knowledge of refugee child development research required. Proficiency
in utilizing computer applications including Microsoft Office, STATA, RedCap,
MAXQDA, and other quantitative and qualitative data analysis platforms
required. Experience conducting research in culturally diverse contexts. Experience
in community-based participatory research and qualitative methods is required.
Coursework and training in psychometrics and validity studies is required.
Previous experience working with refugee populations is preferred. Strong
record of peer-reviewed Implementation-Science focused publications beyond
thesis papers is required.
Closing Statement
Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:
- Tuition remission for Employees
- Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
- Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Low-Cost Life Insurance
- Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
- Paid Holidays Annually
- Generous Sick and Vacation Pay
- Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook
Boston College conducts pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process.
Boston College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. In concert with our Jesuit, Catholic mission, Boston College is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications for women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and covered veterans. To learn more about how BC supports diversity and inclusion throughout the university please visit the Office for Institutional Diversity at https://www.bc.edu/diversity.
Boston College's Notice of Nondiscrimination can be viewed at https://www.bc.edu/nondiscrimination.
